Of Potions and Potions Masters
by Bratney
Summary: It started out, as stories often do, once upon a time. However, this wasn’t a fairy tale, it was real life, and once upon a time was the here and now. Hermione returns to Hogwarts to be a teacher, and she finds a pleasant surprise. SSHG
1. Returning to Hogwarts

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, so please don't hurt me! Cowers in a corner**_

_**AN: Well, I've never written either of these characters before, so I hope that they aren't horribly out of character. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Thanks for reading.**_

_Of Potions and Potions Masters_

_ Chapter One: Returning to Hogwarts_

It started out, as stories often do, once upon a time. However, this wasn't a fairy tale, it was real life, and once upon a time was the here and now. She had watched as someone floated his lifeless body through the air, and that was supposed to be the end of it.

She went through the mourning process for a few months, figuring that someone had to mourn for the stoic potions Professor, and she was more than happy to do it. Ron couldn't understand why she was doing this, resulting in many harsh words and an even worse breakup.

It was then that she was invited back to Hogwarts to teach Muggle Studies by the new headmistress. She accepted the offer with great enthusiasm and packed up her apartment. It was time for a change in her life.

She got moved into her private rooms and started making lesson plans the couple days before the sorting ceremony. She didn't leave her rooms once during her first two days, taking meals in her room.

It was shocking, to say the least, when Hermione arrived at the start of the year feast to see Professor Severus Snape sitting in the seat next to her's at the teacher's table. This was the last thing she thought she would ever see, but she had to admit she was glad to see him.

"I thought you were dead," she whispered over to him as she scooped some potatoes into her plate, she moved on from the mashed food, covering the potatoes in a dark gravy.

He gave a curt nod in reply as he too scooped some food onto his plate, "I thought I was dead, too, but it didn't turn out that way did it Miss Granger?"

She gulped and nodded brusquely, "I suppose not, Professor Snape, it's good to see you well." It surprised her that after all these years he still scared her.

"I heard about what you did for me from Mr. Weasley," Snape said, no inflection or emotion in his voice, "it was quite unnecessary." He looked over at her and raised his eyebrow.

She smiled nervously, "It was something I wanted to do. I do have a great respect for you Professor."

"Now, now, Miss Granger," Snape said coldly, "we are colleagues now, call me Severus." He turned his attention back to the food on his plate, indicating the conversation was over.

The rest of the meal passed in silence, and they didn't run into each other until two weeks and four days later when Hermione needed some ingredients for a special potion she was brewing. She nervously knocked on the door to his room and stood there with her hands clasped behind her back.

He answered the door and ushered her inside to his personal storage area, "It isn't the first time you have been in here, Miss Granger, is it?"

She didn't answer, knowing that he had hit the nail on the head as it were, she watched him gather up the ingredients that she would be needing and then turned to leave the room, but stopped when she heard his low, "Miss Granger."

"What is it Severus?" Hermione asked, turning back to face him, she wasn't sure if she liked calling him by his first name. She studied him, trying to figure out what he was thinking, but to no avail.

"Would you like some help with your potion?" Snape asked looking at her, "I am the Potions Master, after all."

"No thank you, I think I've got it," Hermione said looking down at the objects she had in her hands, "But the one I was going to brew tomorrow I might need some assistance, if you would." She didn't know why he had offered, but the fact was the potion she was going to brew the next day was one that she had never tried before.

His slight nod made her send a nervous smile his way before she walked out of the door, at least they were getting along, she thought with a small smile. Her mind drifted back to the sight of his broken, battered body and she grimaced, it was a good thing that the snake hadn't killed him.

Her dreams haunted her that night, making it impossible for her to fall back to sleep. She wrapped her bathrobe around her and headed out to wander the halls of the old castle.

After about and hour and a half, she ran smack dab into someone's chest. She looked up to apologize, and took note that it was Professor Snape, "Sorry Professor, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No harm done, Miss Granger," Snape said looking down at her, "Might I ask what you are doing wandering the halls this late at night?"

She would have laughed under different circumstances, she wasn't a student to be questioned anymore, but she had caught a bit of something in his tone of voice that made her have to answer. "I couldn't sleep," Hermione stated like it was nothing at all, "dreams of the battle."

She turned to head back down the hall to her room when his voice stopped her for the second time that night, "Would you like to accompany me on my rounds?"

She smiled, "That would be nice Professor, thank you for the invitation." They headed off down the hall, in a rather comfortable silence.


	2. Dreams

Of Potions and Potion Masters

Chapter Two: Dreams

He walked her back to her room when they had finished with the rounds. "Sleep well, Miss Granger, you have classes to teach in the morning," Snape said turning with a flick of his robes. Those were the first words he had spoken to her since they had started walking together an hour earlier.

"Sleep well as well, Professor, I do believe you have a group of first years first thing tomorrow," Hermione said with a soft laugh, "for the sake of all of you, you should rest." She opened the door and turned back to his retreating form, "Thanks again, Professor!"

He raised his head in acknowledgment and continued off down the hall, turning the corner before Hermione could say anything else. He knew he wouldn't sleep well that night, some after effects of the final battle against Voldemort.

When he returned to his room he changed into his night clothes and laid down in his bed, staring at the sealing didn't seem like an enjoyable pastime, so he closed his eyes to try to get some sleep.

The next morning Snape walked into the Potions classroom crankier than normal, he hadn't slept very well; his dreams making him toss and turn. But it wasn't memories of the final battle that had kept him from resting; it was dreams of the young, fuzzy-haired Muggle Studies teacher. The thought that the dreams weren't anything too bad was what was keeping the Potions teacher going; it was just the fact that the dreams had her in them.

After assigning the potion for the day he sat down at his desk and began to think back on the dream he had the night before, it started out how most of his dreams from his school days went, and then turned to something he thought he would never dream of.

_James Potter walked up to him, his usual smirk on his face, "__Snivillus__, get out of my way." Snape stared at him and then turned to walk away. Just then James pulled out his wand, and yet again said the spell to hang him by the ankles._

_"Let him down, James!" a familiar voice called out, but it wasn't the usual voice of his lovely Lilly. Severus looked over and saw the face of He__rmione Granger standing next to Lilly._

The dream ended when he had fallen to the ground, and the rest of the night more dreams like that one followed. Each time Hermione was standing with Lilly as they saved him from his tormentors over and over again.

The class ended and Snape told everyone to leave their potion in their cauldrons, he would be coming by to check the end result later. When the children left the room, he walked down the rows, finding that some of them didn't do such a good job at brewing the potions. The supposed lime green mixture had turned bright pink in several of the cauldrons.

He didn't have any other classes until after lunch, so he decided to go to the library and pick up some light reading. However, another teacher had the same idea, and as he was walking into the library, she was just gathering up her things to leave.

"How was your morning, Professor?" She asked with a smile. She ran her hand through her hair to get it out of her face and grabbed the book she had been reading.

"Tolerable," Snape said nodding in her direction, "and you?"

"It was better than yours, it sounds like," Hermione said with another smile, "I've got to go, and I'll see you at lunch I suppose."

She walked out of the library and to her class room where she rewound the video she was showing her class that day, something that would help them learn something about Muggles in America. It was an old TV show called "Welcome Back Kotter".

She wasn't in the mood to actually teach anything today, and the humor of the show would help her laugh all her troubles away. She had asked Dumbledore earlier if it would be alright to show a few Muggle shows, and he gave the ok. Today would be one of those rare occasions.

When class started she put in the tape and then she zoned out until the laughter of her class was a distant sound. That's how the whole class was passed, her thinking about the dreams she had last night.

They were dreams of Severus, a younger Severus, but it was the man just the same. In those dreams she was standing next to Lilly, saving the man over and over from Harry's father.

She wasn't sure how it happened, or when exactly, but she had grown fond of the emotionless man, and wanted to help him overcome his past. She wanted to defrost his icy heart.

_**AN: In this chapter we see Hermione falling for one Severus Snape, however, he won't be falling this quickly. And what is this? They're sharing dreams!? If you give me suggestions, I'll be forever happy.**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter… or Snape, but I do so wish I did!**_


	3. Discussing Poe

Of Potions and Potions Masters

Chapter Three: Discussing Poe

Hermione had the rest of the day off, a few hours set aside for herself just so she could sit and read. She sat in the teachers lounge, carefully reading through a large volume that she had found in the Headmaster's office. Minerva had given it to her, stating that, "She would never read it herself."

The door opened and she heard footsteps walk over to the couch in front of her, then silence. She didn't need to look up to know who was in the room with her. The answer was simple; anyone else would have interrupted her reading to greet her.

"Good afternoon, Professor," Hermione said not looking up from her text. She didn't need to do that to greet Snape, she knew he would have rather not be acknowledged anyway.

"Afternoon, Miss Granger," Snape replied opening his own book and they soon fell into a very comfortable silence.

After an hour went by Hermione decided to break the quiet that surrounded them, "What are you reading?"

"Edger Allen Poe," Snape replied looking up from the thick book that was spread across his legs.

"I didn't know you read muggle books, but I do think Poe fits your desired persona," Hermione said with a smile, "What's your favorite story or poem?"

"The Raven," Snape watched the bushy haired girl close her own book and look at him more carefully.

"I would have taken you for a 'Tell Tale Heart' or 'Masque of the Red Death' person, you know, something a bit more morbid," Hermione said.

"The Raven is dark too," Snape said defensively, "Just not in the same way as his other work."

"I find that it, and Annabel Lee, have more romantic undertones than the majority of his work," Hermione argued, then quickly switched the subject, "Personally I like his mysteries 'Murders in the Rue Morgue' for example."

"Who would have thought that an orangutan could murder people like that?" Snape said closing his own book. He hadn't had anyone to talk to about the depth and storyline of Poe's work. So this was something new, a discussion he was enjoying.

"Or that there was a man that was smart enough to put the clues together? C. Auguste Dupin was pure genius," Hermione thought back over Poe's work, "The writing in his work is magnificent, the words flow beautifully."

"If you like Poe," Hermione said, "Then you should read _The Poe Shadow_ I think it's called. It is a novel about the circumstances behind Poe's death. I found it to be very interesting." She folded her hands in her lap, "I have it in my personal books if you would like to borrow it sometime."

"I would like that," Snape said, "the wizarding world just doesn't have quality fiction reading material."

"I have a large collection of fiction and non-fiction books, you're welcome to them whenever you like," Hermione offered.

"Could I browse them now?" Snape asked looking down at the warn cover of his book, "I would like something new to read before I go to bed tonight."

Hermione blushed, his openness caught her off guard, she hadn't expect him to take her up on her offer. Not to mention the thought of him in her room sent shivers down her spine, very good shivers. "Sure Professor," she said standing, "follow me."

Snape fell in step beside her, following her up the two floors to her living chambers. He browsed her shelves, and the couple of boxes of books that wouldn't fit on the shelves. He picked out a couple, the one about Poe, and another on chemistry. "Could I take these Miss Granger? I'll return them as soon as I have them finished."

"Take your time Professor, I've read them both a couple of times," Hermione laughed watching him from a chair in the corner of the room, "Perhaps someday I should take you to Barnes and Nobel, you would be like a kid in a candy shop."

Snape looked over at her, a smirk played at his features, "Are you enjoying this Miss Granger?"

"Very much, Professor Snape, you are an enjoyable individual once a person gets past your walls," she said with a nervous smile.

Snape stared at her for a second, debating on weather or not he should get angry with her. Deciding against it, but needing some space, he nodded at her and took his leave, heading to his chambers to start on the newly acquired books.

Hermione shuffled through a box and pulled out her own heavily highlighted copy of The Complete Works of Edger Allen Poe. She flipped it open to _The Raven_ and read it, disregarding her notes in the margin.

When she had finished reading it, she wrote 'Professor Snape' at the top of the page in her neatest handwriting. She wondered if he'd like some of the other poems she read.

_**AN: Well, here's the latest chapter… hope you like it!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Hermione or Snape… I'm just borrowing them for my own pleasure and plan on returning them, a bit worse for wear, when I'm done.**_


	4. Anger and Chocolate Frogs

_**AN: Dodges sharp objects Yes, I know I told you that I'd be writing more right after camp; I also know that I'm a couple of weeks behind schedule! My inner muse has been on extended leave, so I'm trying to write this without him around, he's so dead when he gets back! Hope you enjoy this chapter! I apologize for it being so short, but I'm out of ideas right now.**_

Of Potions and Potions Masters

Chapter Four: Anger and Chocolate Frogs

Hermione stormed down the stairs, fuming as she went, this was entirely his fault and he was going to pay dearly for what had happened to her. Her anger built as she took one step after another, leading her down to the cool depths of the Hogwarts dungeons.

She had so many things she wanted to call him, some of them not in the English dictionary, so many hexes she would willingly put on him for what he had done.

"Professor Snape I would like a word please!" Hermione growled as she banged on the door to his office. The door creaked open to reveal the tall man sitting behind his desk, looking intently at her.

"What is it Miss Granger?" he asked impatiently, "I am very busy grading these papers, and if I would like to get to bed at a decent hour tonight I shouldn't be interrupted."

"You are the only person that could have done it!" Hermione growled at him setting the cracked glass swan in front of him on the desk, "You're the only other person that knows the password to my private rooms! And you can't tell me somebody guessed that my password is 'Coco Puffs'!"

"Miss Granger," Snape started with his practiced sneer, "why would I go into your rooms and break your little swan figurine? Did you not think to use repairo on it?"

It took a few seconds for Snape's logic to sink in, and a few more for her breathing to settle before she sank into the chair opposite his desk, "The swan was a gift from Fred Weasley, it's protected against all magic, trying to repair it won't work." She wasn't going to explain the deal of friendship made between her and Fred, a deal which was something the Potions Master didn't need to know, it was something that still brought her to tears when she thought about it.

Sure enough, she could feel them coming on, she tried to get up and leave the room before Professor Snape caught her crying, but the tears started before she could get up out of the chair.

"Please don't cry for the fate of your glass bird," Snape said picking up the small piece of glass off the table, "I will fix it and have it back to you in the morning."



Hermione nodded, and pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket; she whipped her eyes and forced a smile, "Thank you for your kindness Professor, I apologize for assuming you were the one that broke it."

"Apology accepted," Snape said and pulled something out of his robes, "take this, it will help you feel better." He handed her the small box before she left the room. She looked down at what Professor Snape had left in her hand. It was a chocolate frog, made from dark chocolate.

After climbing the stairs to her room, Hermione opened the box to get her prize. It was the best chocolate frog she ever had.


	5. Sleepless Nights

Chapter 5: Sleepless Nights

_Heated lips pressed against one another, bodies pressed together in an attempt to get closer to one another, hands caressed skin deafly. Passion coursed through them, sending little electric shocks throughout their bodies. Long fingers held long bushy hair in place._

Professor Severus Snape sat straight up in bed and groaned; this is not what he needed, not now and not ever. He ran a hand through his hair and slowly laid back down, hoping that the dreams wouldn't come back, it was bad enough he worked with the girl, but the girl had been his student no more than a year ago!

Black satin sheets hung around his waist as he cursed himself inwardly for letting his subconscious mind think such thoughts. Mentally he beat himself into exhaustion and again fell asleep, this time the welcomed dreamless sleep that usually overcame him when he drifted off into slumber.

Meanwhile, in a room a few floors above Snape's in the dungeons, the bushy haired Hermione Granger sat going over some papers. Yes, it was three in the morning, but she didn't care, they had to be graded tonight, no matter what greasy haired potions master was going through her mind at alarming rates.

She sighed and ran a hand over her face, fighting back the drowsiness that threatened to overcome her. Hermione knew that if she fell asleep now her dreams wouldn't be restful. They would, on the other hand, be lustful.

Finally she had come to the last paper in the stack. After reading through it twice and marking it a few times with her red inked quill she set it on the top of her graded paper stack. She sighed and gave in, moving to her bed and laying down between the red cotton sheets. Moments later she was in dreamland.

_Tongues met, in a dance that has been done throughout time. Fingers brushed over heated flesh, making lovers whimper with need. Clothes were rumpled, making way for hands to roam._

Hermione blinked and sighed, this wasn't fair, three nights now had she been plagued with her annoying dreams and fantasies. Even as they roamed the corridors in companionable silence she found herself wishing that he would take her into one of the schools many broom cupboards and have his way with her.

"I've gone mad, bloody insane!" She ranted and sat up shaking her curls out of her face, "It just isn't fair! the man couldn't ever, not a girl like me!" She sighed once again, laid back down, and drifted back into her heated dreams. This sleep was better than no sleep at all.

The next morning brought two rather sleepy and irritated people together over breakfast. Their silence was strained, and while reaching for their food they repeatedly bumped arms. This was done, for the last time, over the butter for their bread.



"See to it, Miss Granger, that you don't touch me again," Snape growled at her without even looking at her, "do I make myself clear?"

"Of course, Professor Snape," Hermione said with a small smile, taken aback by his harsh words after all the time that they had been spending together. _'Perhaps it is for the best,'_ she thought to herself with a sigh.

The rest of breakfast passed in more awkward silence, leaving the parties present thankful to get away to their classes where nothing could be as bad as what had transpired over their thirty minute meal.

_**AN: No Authors Note today! Author doesn't want to explain what is going on in her head, thanks for reading. Bye!**_


	6. Brewing Potions

Chapter 6:

Brewing Potions

She knocked on the door to his quarters softly, nervously awaiting the reply she wasn't sure was going to come. After all the random stuff that had happened between the two of them, she was just as nervous now as she was before the final battle. She took a step back when the door squeaked open, looking cautiously up at the man in front of her.

"Professor Snape," Hermione said composing herself and messing with a strand of her hair, "would you help me brew a potion? I don't have the ingredients for it on hand; I'll pay you for the use of your supplies."

"What, pray tell, is this potion that you desperately need to make before your next day off?" Snape growled at the girl that he wanted to stay as far away from as he could. He leaned up against the door frame and looked down his nose at the young witch.

Hermione placed her hands on her hips, not knowing what had gotten into him since yesterday, he wasn't being civil anymore. "If you must know," she said, her voice laced with distain, "I have been having nightmares, I want a potion for a dreamless sleep."

"Very well," the man stepped back and ushered her in, "The potion doesn't take too long to make, however it will take both of us to prepare it." He went to his store room and gathered the potion ingredients, planning on keeping half of the potion for himself. Soon he will get rid of this horrible girl haunting his dreams, even if he had to put up with her in every day life.

They gathered the supplies and started the potion, only single words floating on the air between them. "Knife," Snape growled holding out his hand before wrapping his hand around the handle and chopping up some roots. The potion was nearly finished when they had to work together; two of the ingredients had to be added at the same time, at separate ends of the cauldron while being stirred.

They bumped arms several times, earning Hermione death glares from Severus. He pulled away finally and watched as she stirred the boiling mixture. "At the end stir it counterclockwise three times, the potion becomes more potent," he instructed, venom dripping from his voice.

As they were filling vials, Hermione was stealing glances at the man behind the potion. He wasn't handsome in the physical sense of the word, but his mind drew her to him. When they had finished Hermione smiled brightly at the Potions Master and took her leave from the room, "Thanks Professor, see you tomorrow."

Severus shut the door behind the bushy haired girl, grabbed a vial off the counter and downed the thick substance. Tonight he would be getting a dreamless sleep. His fire was roaring and his book called to him, a soothing time before bed.

Hermione, on the other hand, went up to her room and started grading papers. The children didn't seem to pay attention enough in her class; it wasn't something that made her happy to think that they thought her class so easy. She would have to make some changes in her curriculum.

She set the papers aside at midnight and crawled into bed, the heat enveloped her and she fell into a deep slumber. Dreaming of nothing, victorious in her endeavor.

Neither person awoke until the alarms sounded at seven in the morning, both relaxed and content after their dreamless sleep.

_**AN: I'm back! Woot! Ok, I'm probably the only one that is excited about this story anymore. If someone does read this, thank you for sticking by me through my absence… I was slowly going insane from school.**_

_**Dedication: To those people that are planning/playing at our Yule Ball, you are amazing! I wouldn't be able to live without you!**_


	7. Visiting

**Chapter Seven:**

**Visiting**

That morning was pleasant for both of them; they were able to return to their comfortable conversation as if nothing had happened. They spoke of nothing in particular, commenting a few times on the students' progress in their subjects. Snape, as always, believed that the children should work harder to remove themselves from the status of blithering dunderheads and become something more like a human being. Hermione, on the other hand, felt that the students were getting on very well in her class, with the help of visual aids.

Breakfast passed quickly, leaving them with only a handful of minutes to get to their prospective classrooms. The day passed fairly swiftly for the both of them, only pausing briefly when classes weren't in session. They joined up later that night over a cup of tea in the lounge on the sixth floor, debating civilly over the turn that the ministry had taken over the past couple of months.

It wasn't long after Hermione had started her second cup of tea that a popping noise announced the arrival of one of the castle's many house elves. They both turned to look at the creature before them and it timidly bowed and looked up at the couple, "Misters Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley are awaiting Miss Granger in her study."

Hermione looked up from the elf to the professor, "I'm sorry sir, but I should go talk to them, I haven't seen them in awhile." She stood and gave him apologetic smile, "I'll talk to you again later."

It didn't take her long to reach her study; she had practically flown down the hallways. She composed herself before opening the door and gripping each of the boys in a tight hug, "How are you? Both of you tell me how everything is!"

"We're fine Hermione," Harry said sitting back down in the chair he was sitting in before, "nothing much has happened since we last wrote to you, just a lot of training." He ran a hand through his unruly hair and smiled at her, "We want to hear the latest Hogwarts gossip, what's going on here?"

"Severus is teaching Potions again," Hermione said sitting down in one of the comfy chairs, "it was kind of shocking to begin with, but it's almost like he's a different person." She forced down a blush at the thought of the professor, her dreams were still vivid in her mind, even if she hadn't had them the night before.

"The old bat is acting human?" Ron piped up from his spot across from Hermione, "Is he sick?"

"Be nice, Ronald," Hermione scolded, "He has been through a lot, I'm happy to have befriended him." She wasn't sure if they really were friends per say but their odd relationship was close enough to friendship to label it that.

"Snape was a good guy," Harry said with a shrug, "even though he didn't show it very well in his attitude he didn't want anybody to get hurt. I'm glad you're seeing the side of him that none of us got to see in school, Hermione."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Ron said shaking his head, "I still think the guy needs to go get a good shagging, he wouldn't be so uptight after a night between silken sheets."

Hermione's previous blush, that hadn't reached her cheeks, crept up her neck and turned her cheeks a bright crimson color, "Ron Weasley, none of us wanted to hear about that, thank you very much!"

"Of course you do, Hermione," Ron teased, laughing at the bright pink girl across from him. He waited a few moments of silence before changing the subject to Quidditch.

The rest of the afternoon passed in companionable conversation. The boys leaving before the evening meal was over so Hermione would be able to eat before her rounds that evening.

She entered the great hall, shocked to see that she wasn't the only teacher that would be sitting at the staff table. Next to her seat, sitting there in all his brooding glory was Professor Severus Snape himself. "Hello Hermione how was your visit with the missing pieces of the 'Golden Trio'?" He asked her when she sat down next to him.

"It was fine," she replied looking up from serving herself some food, "they were happy to hear that you were doing alright Severus. And you know Ron and Harry; the only thing they're interested in is Quidditch, so we spent a good portion of the time talking about team scores."

"You honestly need someone that can stimulate your brain," Snape stated, "those dimwits are a waste of you impressive brainpower." He had finished eating, and was now studying her, as if he was looking at her for the first time, "That is why I enjoy talking with you, you're a wonderfully intelligent being and not as annoying as you use to be with your foolish arm waving."

She didn't know how to reply, Severus Snape had just given her the best complement she had ever received, and she didn't know what to say back to him. All she could do was turn and wrap her arms around him in an awkward semblance of a hug. Good thing there were no students currently in the Great Hall.

_**AN: Hey all! I just got done with fall quarter and am now at home for a month, so I decided that it has been way too long. Please accept my apologies and I hope you enjoyed this little bit of physical contact.**_


	8. A Flower for Miss Granger

Chapter 8:

A Flower for Miss Granger

Hermione sighed as she walked through the halls, making her way from the library back to her quarters with an arm full of books. The day had been a long one, and it seemed as if it wasn't going to stop any time soon. It had to be about eight o'clock now, and she had hours of lesson plans to write ahead of her.

She wanted to get next weeks plans done before the weekend started. The weekend was supposed to be her 'self' time; no paper grading and no lesson plans. So she was going to spend the next few hours finishing them off before she started her weekend.

After the awkward physical contact between her and Professor Snape at dinner she had went to the library to clear her head and gather some required reading material to base her next weeks lessons around. She knew already she was going to be talking about muggle Literature, each day picking a new author to discuss in detail. Monday they would be discussing mostly the author Poe and his morbid writing style.

Though she had liked the author before, Hermione had found a new interest in his works since her conversation on the topic with Snape. So, after the weekend, she would be doing a 'dramatic' reading of The Raven, and telling the students a mini-biography of Poe. For homework they were to read another one of his stories (there were at least two more in their muggle studies book) and write a report on what they thought of the story.

She figured she would be doing close to the same thing for Faulkner, the Grimm Brothers, Kate Chopin, and Beatrix Potter. All of these authors she had loved as a small girl, sitting on her fathers lap, reading along out of the book as he gave the characters voices, telling the story in a way that nobody had ever been able to repeat.

Hermione sat down at her desk and began to work, picking out stories to read out loud in class and researching on the author's lives. She finished promptly, far quicker than she figured she would. It was then that she got up and readied herself for bed.

Meanwhile, down in the dungeons, Professor Severus Snape was busy drinking and reading, doing more of the later than the former. He had one glass of whisky, which laid half-full on the table next to him, forgotten about. In his hand was a copy of "Flesh-Eating Trees of the World" a book left in his classroom by a flustered sixth year girl who couldn't wait long enough to pick up everything before she fled his presence.

He was skimming the book, he had read it a few times before, but it was always good to refresh the memory. He felt his eyes get heavy and made his way toward the bed, it wasn't long after lying down that he fell asleep. But the last thought before bed was one of Miss Hermione Granger hugging him at dinner that night. All boundaries had been crossed with that little show of what might be called affection.

~~*~~

The next morning Hermione awoke to a knock on her door, she crawled out of bed and opened the door to find thin air. She looked as far down the hall in both directions as she could before, moving to close the door. She was furious, woken Saturday morning at least an half an hour before she planned on waking up, for no good reason at all! That's when she noticed the flower stuck to the door. It was a daisy, nothing too special, but beautiful just the same.

She pulled it off the brown wood, closed the door quietly, and quickly stuck the beautiful blossom in a vase, admiring it for a few more seconds before putting on her robes for the day.

She looked in her mirror before running a brush through her hair and casting a few spells to make it more manageable. When she was content with the mirror image of herself, and the mirror dubbed her to be 'better than ever' she turned away from the reflective surface humming to herself.

She left her room and headed down the stairs to the great hall. She was unusually happy this morning and greeted some of her better known students on her way up to the staff table. A few timid first years wished her a happy Saturday, she responded in the like, smiling down at them.

She took her usual seat next to the Potions Master and greeted him with a large grin, "Hello Professor, how was your night?"

Severus shrugged in a nonchalant way and answered with a simple word, "Fine. How was your night Miss Granger?" He watched as she blushed, and started putting food on her plate, not making any indication that she was going to answer.

It took Hermione three minutes before she answered, "It was brilliant, this morning someone left me a flower on my door, it's beautiful." She put a fork full of eggs in her mouth and turned to look at him, her cheeks still slightly red.

"A student has a crush on our dear Professor Granger?" Severus asked with a sneer, taunting her with his words and a half-smile spread across his face, "That's disgustingly sweet."

Her face went as red as Ron Weasley's hair and she looked back at her plate full of food, "It was a charming gesture made by a nameless someone, I appreciate it more than you'll ever know."

Snape took this time to smirk to himself, for he knew who had placed that flower there. It had been him, the curmudgeon over every student's day, the bat of the dungeons, the greasy git. He, Severus Snape, had left the white flower on Hermione Granger's door, and she liked it. Inside he was a very happy man.

_**AN: Hello again! I figured I'd get this chapter out while my muse is still alive, I'm guessing he'll be dead again soon, so now's the perfect time. If anyone notices the Wizard Rock connection in here I'll give you a cookie!**_


	9. A Little Message

Chapter 9:

A Little Message

It was only a couple of hours later when Hermione was pulled away from her reading of 'Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions' by a knock on her door. She uncurled her legs from under her and sat down the mug of hot chocolate that she had been holding in her hands on her small coffee table.

She walked quickly to the door, opening it and smiling at Professor Snape who was standing there in front of her, "Hermione, I was wondering if I could join you. I would like to have an intelligent conversation, and I wasn't getting that in the Slytherin common room."

Hermione opened her door wider and motioned for him to come inside; he took a look around her sparsely furnished room and decided it suited her. It was simple, yet lovely. He took a seat across from the couch, in the overstuffed armchair.

It had been changed since the last time he had been in here. Everything was unpacked and placed in a way that would let Hermione have enough room for all her books, and to walk throughout the room. He held back a chuckle, but it was very Hermione, all books and very few frilly nonsensical items.

She gave him a tentative smile and indicated her hot coco mug, "Would you like some coco or tea? The water should still be hot." With the slight nod of his head se went over to get the tea kettle and a mug, "What one would you like?"

"I'd prefer tea if that's okay with you," he said, looking to Hermione that he was very uncomfortable sitting in her chambers. She poured him a cup and let the tea seep, using her high-priced tea leaves to make the potions master's drink.

She handed him the cup and sat down on the couch, pulling her legs up under her. She followed his gaze across the room to settle on the flower she received earlier that morning, "I don't care if you think it's foolish, I like it."

"It's predictable," he sated with a bit of a shrug, "a guy with any amount of imagination would be able to come up with something a bit more interesting." His gaze wandered and fell on the book that had been sitting next to her, "Learning anything good?"

"I've read it before," Hermione said with a shrug, "but it was the first book that caught my eye when I came back after breakfast. I had no desire to go anywhere today, so I figured that I would spend the day reading."

She picked up the book and sat it down on the coffee table, "Any particular thing you wanted to discuss Professor? Or are we grabbing topics out of the air?" She looked back to him, taking a sip of her chocolate and tilting her head to the side in a quizzical manner.

"I was thinking about talking about Quidditch," Snape said with a sneer, "you see, I'm a big fan of chasing balls around, and I thought you might want to discuss the thrilling aspects of being treated like a mangy mutt."

Hermione couldn't resist letting out a giggle, it was true that most of her conversations with anyone in the past involved them talking about the wizarding sport and her blocking out just about everything they said. Snape's take on the sport just about matched her own, it was like playing fetch on brooms, and she wasn't one for acting like a dog.

Snape leaned back in the chair, finally making himself comfortable in the girl's quarters. He studied her face as she laughed, beginning his next plan of attack in wooing her. Even if he had admitted earlier that he wasn't being very original. It was then that he had an idea, deciding to let it mull over for awhile in the back of his mind while they talked.

They talked for awhile, each arguing a point in one of the newest breakthroughs in potion making. Hermione was all for the new development, where Snape preferred the old way. In the end he bent and agreed that the new way had a few good points.

It was time for dinner when Snape stood and offered to walk her to the great hall. She accepted and removed herself from the couch, stretching in a way that reminded the potions master of a contented cat. She took his offered arm and they made their way down the multiple flights of stairs to the great hall.

They took their usual seats and continued on with the conversation. At this time they had moved to the topic of muggle medications, whether or not they were of any use in the wizarding world. They were deep into their discussion throughout the meal, then back up to Hermione's room where Snape left her with a civil goodbye.

She closed the door with a smile and wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth with a happy smile spread across her face. She enjoyed spending time with her previous professor; he didn't question her intelligence like most people did. He made her feel like an equal. She could easily say that she had a crush on the man, if her previous dreams were any indication.

She went to bed soon after, content to snuggle close to her pillow and think about the day that she had just spent with the professor. It didn't take her long to drift into slumber, her dreams of the professor welcomed for the first time ever.

It was when she opened the door to her quarters the next morning that she saw the message scrawled across a paper taped to her door: "I adore you". She let out a small squeal and looked at the door with a smile plastered across her face.

She stood there a good ten minutes before snatching it off the door and running down the stairs to the Great Hall to tell her beloved Professor about this new development. Little did she know, he already knew.

_**AN: Hello everyone! Look! It's a new chapter! And it hasn't been all that long since the last one! I'm excited, I've found a new way to move this story along.**_


	10. The Book

"Your admirer doesn't have an ounce of creativity in the romance department," Snape said looking over the card, a look of disgust on his face. They were sitting in Snape's office, trying to brew a potion as they talked.

"Are you saying that you could do better?" Hermione said looking up from the roots she was slicing and gave him a look that plainly said, 'stop criticizing my card!' She turned her head back to the project at hand, trying to ignore the man in front of her for the time being.

"I never said that," Snape said, "as you have probably gathered, I'm not a romantic. Nor do I ever plan on becoming one." He sat the card down and shook his head before getting up and stirring the caldron full of liquid, more appropriately, wolfsbane.

Hermione had finished cutting the ingredients and was looking up at the potions master as he worked on the potion; she shrugged his comment off and contented herself with watching him and slipping into coming up with predictions on whom it was doing these romantic gestures.

The handwriting was eerily familiar, but she had been grading a lot of papers lately, so it could be any one of her students. All hundred students she taught throughout the week could have posted this. Something told her, however, that this wasn't one of her students.

She ran her fingers over the little card and let out a loud sigh, wondering who could have stuck this and the flower on her door. She shrugged and stood, needing to find a female to talk to about all this.

Professor McGonagall opened her door and ushered the young girl into her quarters and motioned for her to sit down in one of the wooden chairs. "What is it that I can do for you Miss Granger?" she asked with a mother-like worry on her features.

"Someone has been leaving me tokens of their… affection," Hermione said worring the card in her hands as she looked down at her lap, "I am almost positive that it isn't a student, I have this weird feeling that it's one of the staff or someone outside the school."

She placed the card in McGonagall's outstretched hand, looking down at her hands in her lap a moment later. When the older lady cleared her throat, Hermione couldn't resist looking up at her, a quizzical look on her face.

"I believe I know whose hand writing this is," McGonagall said handing the card back, "however, I think t should be between the two of you to figure this out, I won't stick my nose in where it doesn't belong."

Hermione took the card and nodded, "Thanks Professor, it felt good telling a girl, Severus wasn't very supportive, all he has done is tease me." She stood and walked out of the room, shaking her head to clear it of the thoughts she was having.

McGonagall gave the girl a weird look as she left the room, shaking her head how the young woman could be so blind. She pushed her glasses up on her face and looked down at the papers she was grading, a small smile spread across her face.

Hermione made her way back to her room, slipping around some of the less known hallways to get to her destination. She stopped, dropped the card, and stared. There, sitting in front of her room was a large, old book.

With shaking hands she bent down to pick it up, looking at the spine to determine what it was. She let out a gasp and opened her door quickly, flipping on the light and setting herself quickly on the couch.

She opened the book and there, in the familiar handwriting was the inscription:

_Hermione,_

_I wanted you to have this, you above all others should be able to appreciate it's true worth. On a note that I believe that you will understand: love makes life so confusing, but without love would you really want to live?_

_Yours Always_

Her fingers traced over the words on the page, a tear ran down her cheek. It was now that she knew without a doubt that her admirer was indeed Professor Severus Snape. Her heart pounded in her chest, confused if she should be happy or sad she let out a loud sigh and sat the book down on her coffee table.

She left her room after that, roaming the halls of the school just so she could clear her mind. This was what she wanted, so why didn't it feel so weird? Her feet led her around the school, the chill in the air indicated that she was in the last place she wanted to be right now.

"Hello Miss Granger," a smooth voice greeted her, "you look a little lost this afternoon, do you need some help getting anywhere."

She turned to look at him, her eyes wide with shock, "No I'm just fine, but I think I figured out who has been giving me gifts."

_**AN: Hey all! Nice to see ya'll once again. I hope you liked this chapter, I don't know if I'm happy with it or not.**_


	11. The Confrontation

Chapter 11:

The Confrontation

She watched the flash of shock cross his face, and she knew she had her man. "Deductive reasoning," Hermione said with a shrug, "all the clues were there, I just had to put all the pieces into a line and fit the puzzle together."

"And who do you think it is?" Snape said with his usual sneer, his arms crossed in front of him as he looked down at the girl standing in front of him. Hoping that she didn't really figure it out, that he would have more time to put up a wall to hold back the rejection he was sure he was about to face.

"I think you know," she snapped back, taking a couple of steps closer so she was standing face to chest with the man, "after all, your red pen marks on all my papers throughout school gave it all away."

He looked down at her, so close to him that all he had to do was bend his head down just slightly and their skin would connect. It tempted him, but he had to reign in temptation or his reputation might be demolished. "Perhaps we should discuss this in my quarters," he said taking a step back and uncrossing his arms so they hung at his side.

She nodded and followed him down to his dungeon lair, glad that she had the strength to confront him about all of this. She just wanted to get this all sorted out and continue on with life, with or without him in it. She had to admit that she preferred the former.

She sat in one of the large chairs, not paying much attention to anything other than the man in front of her. "I'm right, aren't I?" she asked looking up at him. His nod was the only confirmation he gave while he was studying her, trying to think of something to say.

"It started awhile ago," he started a few minutes later, turning away from her, "I was having dreams, dreams about us. It was only when you hugged me that I had the stupid idea of giving you those trinkets of my 'affection'. Then you started having romantic ideas, and I was lost."

"I think it was sweet," Hermione interrupted, making him turn to face her, "and I was hoping it was someone I cared about from the start, looks like I got what I wanted after all."

He stared at her blankly, unable to comprehend what she had said. It didn't sink in until she had sprung up and wrapped her arms around him. Reflexes kicked in and he pulled her in closer, resting his head on her head, content to just hold her for the moment.

She pulled away from him and gave him an awkward smile, "Remember that potion that we made together? The one to negate dreams? I was dreaming of you, that's why I needed it."

This conversation was awkward for both of them, neither one being very sociable, the effects of confessing their feelings had them both shifting awkwardly. It was Snape's turn to make a 'move' and he slowly brought his lips to hers, placing a chaste kiss on them before pulling back and giving her a questioning look.

She let out a nervous laugh and reached out to lace her fingers with his, doing her best to calm both of their racing pulses. "This is not what I expected when I took this job," Hermione said with a smile, "Professor Snape, the greasy bat of the dungeons, being the person that haunted my nights, gave me gifts, and was my emotional support when I was loosing myself to confusion. Now he's mine."

He gave her a half-smile at the last part, bringing her hand up to his lips and giving her palm a gentle kiss, "Yes. However, it's getting late and I have work I need to finish tonight, can I walk you to your rooms?"

She nodded and walked with him for the few minutes it took to get to her quarters. She looked up at him; hand on the doorknob, feeling like a lost school girl as she wondered if he would still want her tomorrow.

He smirked, reading what was going through her mind easily on her face. "Don't worry, Hermione, I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow," he whispered before bringing his lips down on hers, caressing them lightly before pulling away.

They lingered in the hallway for a few more minutes, trying to soak in everything that had happened in the past hour or so. Content to just stand there, holding each others hands. When Snape finally pulled away, Hermione watched him go before going into her room and lying down on her bed.

Sure, Severus was far from romantic, and their relationship was bound to have a lot of rough patches, but they had been through a lot together already. Friendship, companionship, and dare she think it love could be built on what they had been through. And as she lay there thinking about these things, she drifted off into the best sleep she had ever had, knowing that somewhere in the old castle someone was thinking of her too.

_**AN: Ok, I'm done with this story now… after all, if I tried going on with it I might blow a fuse. I'm growing out of the Hermione/Snape phase of my life (gasp!) and need to find some other paring to occupy my time.**_


End file.
